Internet Addiction Test (IAT): which is the best factorial solution?

The excessive celebrity worship behavior questionnaire: Chinese scale development and validation

OBJECTIVE

To develop a scale to assess the excessive behavior of superfans in celebrity worship and to test its reliability and validity in China.

METHODS

The scale was developed based on the netnography and interviews of celebrity fans and the existing problematic Internet usage scales. Sample 1 (n = 465) was used for exploratory factor analysis, and Sample 2 (n = 804) was used for confirmatory factor analysis, reliability test, criterion validity, and discriminative validity test.

RESULTS

There were 36 items in the final scale, including nine factors: impaired social functioning, replacement of real to virtual social relationships, sleep and eating problems, withdrawal, mood alteration, salience, excessive buying, increased craving, and escape from real life. The factor loadings ranged from 0.565 to 0.803. Confirmatory factor analysis showed that the scale was well structured. The reliability of the scale and each factor were satisfactory. The scale showed good discriminant validity in reflecting celebrity worship behavior. In terms of scores, mood alteration was the highest, excessive buying was the lowest, and there were certain gender and age differences.

CONCLUSION

This study initially identified the main characteristics of excessive celebrity worship behavior among young fans on social media. The developed Chinese scale has good reliability and validity and can be used as a measurement tool.

Mental health in patients affected by atopic dermatitis: which effects of treatment with dupilumab?

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is an inflammatory skin disease. Patients with AD are prone to develop anxiety and mood disorders. Aim of this study is to investigate if treatment with dupilumab may improve mental health status of patients affected by AD. A total of 66 patients with severe AD were included: 24 subjects were candidate or have just started (one month) treatment with dupilumab, and 42 have been in treatment for one year. 25.8%, 30.3%, and 45.5% of the total sample showed, respectively, clinically significant anxiety, depression, and symptoms of Internet addiction. Patients with anxiety symptoms resulted to have more severe AD, more sleep problems ( P  = 0.028), less quality of life ( P  = 0.001), more severe depressive symptoms ( P  < 0.001), to be more frequently women ( P  = 0.016), to be less frequently treated with dupilumab for one year ( P  = 0.025). Similarly, patients with clinically significant depressive symptoms resulted to have more severe AD, more sleep problems ( P  = 0.003), less quality of life ( P  < 0.001), more severe anxiety symptoms ( P  < 0.001), to be less frequently treated with dupilumab for one year ( P  = 0.008). Patients with AD treated for one year with dupilumab showed a better mental health profile in terms of less severe anxiety and depression with respect to their counterparts.

Internet Gaming Disorder in Children and Adolescents with Autism Spectrum Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder (ASD) have been related to an increased risk for behavioral addictions including online gaming. However, the relationship between these two conditions and Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is still debated. The aim of this study is to address this topic by exploring the prevalence of IGD in a consecutive sample of ASD youth and ADHD youth, compared with a normal control group, and by assessing selected psychopathological and neuropsychological features in ASD and ADHD patients with and without IGD. This study included 77 ASD patients (67 males, mean age 13.58 ± 2.75 years), 94 ADHD patients (79 males, mean age 11.46 ± 2.47 years), and 147 normal controls (NC) (mean age 13.9 ± 3.0 years, 114 males) that received structured measures for IGD (IAT, IGDS9-SF, and UADI). In the ADHD group, 72.34% of the sample were above the IGD cut-off, compared with 45.45% in the ASD group and 9.5% in the NC group. ASD patients with IGD presented with greater severity and more severe attention problems, with no difference in the ASD core symptoms between patients with and without IGD. In the comparison between the ASD and ADHD groups according to the presence of IGD, ASD patients with IGD were the most severe group according to the CGI (Clinical Global Impression) scale. The follow-up, conducted on 45 patients affected by ASD, showed an improvement in CGI and CGAS (Children's Global Assessment Scale) scores, but not in the IGD symptoms. These findings could place the diagnosis of ASD as a negative prognostic factor in the follow-up of aspects of video game addiction compared with ADHD.

Internet Addiction and Psychological Distress: Can Social Networking Site Addiction Affect Body Uneasiness Across Gender? A Mediation Model

Introduction

The Internet, with its unlimited information, revolutionary communication capabilities, and innovative potential to expand knowledge, is ubiquitous throughout the world, but it also has significant implications for users' mental health. Given the not yet clearly defined and distinguishable nosographic categories of online addiction and the resulting difficulties in describing the impact on users' mental health, the present cross-sectional study aimed to gain new insights into the relationship between Internet addiction (especially social networking site [SNS] addiction), psychological distress, and physical discomfort, as well as gender differences in impact among users.

Method

A sample of 583 Italian speakers (50.8% males; 48.7% females) with a mean age of 30.96 (SD = 12.12) completed an online survey in July 2021. A set of psychometric self-report instruments was administered to assess the study variables. Mediation analyses were performed for both the whole sample and across genders.

Results

The study found that men exhibited higher levels of Internet addiction and craving than women, but no differences were found for SNS addiction. Furthermore, indicators of psychological distress (i.e., anxiety, depression, stress, loneliness, insomnia, and self-esteem) mediated the association between SNS addiction and body uneasiness, with slight differences across genders.

Conclusion

This paper contributes to the existing literature on online addictive behaviors by also highlighting gender differences. The findings underscore the need for educational experiences that can prevent problematic use of the Internet and SNSs.

Severity identification for internet gaming disorder using heart rate variability reactivity for gaming cues: a deep learning approach

Background

The diminished executive control along with cue-reactivity has been suggested to play an important role in addiction. Hear rate variability (HRV), which is related to the autonomic nervous system, is a useful biomarker that can reflect cognitive-emotional responses to stimuli. In this study, Internet gaming disorder (IGD) subjects' autonomic response to gaming-related cues was evaluated by measuring HRV changes in exposure to gaming situation. We investigated whether this HRV reactivity can significantly classify the categorical classification according to the severity of IGD.

Methods

The present study included 70 subjects and classified them into 4 classes (normal, mild, moderate and severe) according to their IGD severity. We measured HRV for 5 min after the start of their preferred Internet game to reflect the autonomic response upon exposure to gaming. The neural parameters of deep learning model were trained using time-frequency parameters of HRV. Using the Class Activation Mapping (CAM) algorithm, we analyzed whether the deep learning model could predict the severity classification of IGD and which areas of the time-frequency series were mainly involved.

Results

The trained deep learning model showed an accuracy of 95.10% and F-1 scores of 0.995 (normal), 0.994 (mild), 0.995 (moderate), and 0.999 (severe) for the four classes of IGD severity classification. As a result of checking the input of the deep learning model using the CAM algorithm, the high frequency (HF)-HRV was related to the severity classification of IGD. In the case of severe IGD, low frequency (LF)-HRV as well as HF-HRV were identified as regions of interest in the deep learning model.

Conclusion

In a deep learning model using the time-frequency HRV data, a significant predictor of IGD severity classification was parasympathetic tone reactivity when exposed to gaming situations. The reactivity of the sympathetic tone for the gaming situation could predict only the severe group of IGD. This study suggests that the autonomic response to the game-related cues can reflect the addiction status to the game.

Parent-Perceived Benefits and Harms Associated With Internet Use by Adolescent Offspring

Importance

Limited systematic information on familial factors and perception of the benefits and harms of internet use by youths is available. Much of the current research has been hampered by small nondiverse samples and limited information on key familial and offspring characteristics.

Objective

To characterize parental perceptions and concerns about internet use associated with adolescent development, well-being, safety, family connectedness, and potential for problematic internet use.

Design, Setting, and Participants

A 20-minute, English-language survey was developed with expert stakeholders using previously validated questionnaires and was conducted online between June 17 and July 5, 2022. Participants included 1005 parents of children and adolescents aged 9 to 15 years drawn from an online digital survey platform and calibrated for representation with post hoc weightings.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Parent survey responses about family characteristics and internet use were used to compute Internet Addiction Test scores for parents and their offspring, Alabama Parenting Questionnaire scores, and an aggregate family connectedness score.

Results

The survey cohort of 1005 parents included 568 women (56.5%) and 437 men (43.5%) with a mean age (SD) of 39.5 (6.4) years. In terms of race and ethnicity, the most common categories included Black or African American (95 [9.5%]), Latinx or Hispanic (100 [10.0%]), White (602 [59.9%]), and 2 or more races or ethnicities (122 [12.1%]). Respondents endorsed parental concerns that included exposure to harmful content (646 [64.3%]) and online bullying (533 [53.0%]). Two hundred twenty-five parents (22.4%) had specific concerns about internet addiction in their adolescent offspring, and twice as many parents reported specific concerns about internet addiction than substance addiction. However, parents also indicated that internet use improved family connectedness among immediate families (468 [46.6%]) and extended families (568 [56.5%]). Internet Addiction Test scores in adolescent offspring were correlated with parent scores (β = 0.62 [SE = 0.02]; P < .001) and Alabama Parenting Questionnaire-Inconsistent Discipline scores (β = 0.23 [SE = 0.11]; P = .04).

Conclusions and Relevance

In this survey study of parent perceptions of internet use among adolescent offspring, parents believed the internet brought families closer yet also expressed concerns. Problematic internet use among youths was correlated with negative parenting styles and parent internet use. This research adds to the literature by suggesting that families, their communities, and industry may have common ground to collaborate on reducing the negative effects of internet use.

Sex and national differences in internet addiction in Egypt and Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND

Understanding individual differences in psychology, and how they relate to specific addictions, may allow society to better identify those at most risk and even enact policies to ameliorate them. Internet addiction is a growing health concern, a research focus of which is to understand individual differences and the psychology of those most susceptible to developing it. Western countries are strongly overrepresented in this regard.

METHOD

Here, sex and national differences in internet addiction are measured, using Young's 'Internet Addiction Test,' in two non-Western countries, Egypt and Saudi Arabia. >800 students aged 18 and 35 years (M = 20.65, SD = 1.48) completed a multidimensional internet addiction instrument. The instrument measures traits such as Withdrawal and Social Problems, Time Management and Performance and Reality Substitute.

RESULTS

Analyses revealed that males scored higher than females and Saudis higher than Egyptians on nearly all scales, including the total score. Factor analysis of the 20-item instrument revealed three factors, all exhibiting sex and culture differences.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings add to the body of evidence that males are higher than females in problematic internet use, as they are in addictive behaviors in general. Our findings may also imply that restrictions on male-female interaction, which are more pronounced in Saudi Arabia, may elevate the prevalence of internet addiction. The internet is also easier and cheaper to access in Saudi Arabia than in Egypt.

Assessment of an Epidemic Urgency: Psychometric Evidence for the UCLA Loneliness Scale

Background

In modern industrialized countries, loneliness has been declared an epidemic. The present paper aimed to replicate previous findings about the dimensionality of the UCLA Loneliness Scale-3 version (LS-3) in a sample of Italian adults using Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling (ESEM).

Methods

In Study 1, 1676 participants (M_age= 31.15; SD = 11.89) completed the LS-3. The three-factor ESEM model was performed to replicate the previous Italian version, and a Confirmatory Factor Analysis compared the three- and ten-item short versions. In Studies 2, 3, and 4, we administered measures of anxiety, depression, stress, internet addiction, self-esteem, and social interaction anxiety to 3513 participants (M_age= 30.81; SD = 11.77) to assess the convergent and discriminant validity of LS-3.

Results

The ESEM 3-factor model was replicated using a Target rotation (X² = 847.597; df = 133; CFI = 0.942; TLI = 0.917; RMSEA = 0.062), whereas the already-known LS-3 short version raised psychometric concerns. Positive relationships with anxiety, depression, stress, internet addiction, and social interaction anxiety, as well as negative association with self-esteem were found.

Conclusion

In conclusion, our findings support the use of the LS-3 in the Italian sample and discourage the administration of the current short forms. The implications for research and clinical practice have been discussed.

A cross-national validation of the Internet Severity and Activities Addiction Questionnaire (ISAAQ)

Problematic usage of the internet (PUI) is of increasing concern in a digitalized world. While several screening tools have been developed to assess PUI, few have had their psychometric properties evaluated, and existing scales are also not typically designed to quantify both the severity of PUI and the nature of diverse problematic online activities. The Internet Severity and Activities Addiction Questionnaire (ISAAQ), consisting of a severity scale (ISAAQ Part A) and an online activities scale (ISAAQ part B) was previously developed to address these limitations. This study undertook psychometric validation of ISAAQ Part A using data from three countries. The optimal one-factor structure of ISAAQ Part A was determined in a large dataset from South Africa, then validated against datasets from the United Kingdom and United States. The scale had high Cronbach's alpha (≥0.9 in each country). A working operational cut-off point was determined to distinguish between those with some degree of problematic use and those without (ISAAQ Part A), and insight was given into the types of potentially problematic activities that may encompass PUI (ISAAQ Part B).

Internet Addiction among Young Adult University Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: The Role of Peritraumatic Distress, Attachment, and Alexithymia

The literature focused on the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on young adult university students' mental health shows a significant increase in psychopathological symptoms and Internet Addiction (IA). The key role played by attachment and alexithymia has also been suggested, but no study has explored the possible dynamic relationship between these variables. We recruited a sample of n = 410 young adult university students online. We assessed the attachment to parents and peers (through IPPA), alexithymia (through TAS-20), peritraumatic distress symptoms due to COVID-19 (through CPDI), and IA (through IAT). The results showed that the relationship between the attachment to mothers and IA was partially mediated by alexithymia and by the serial mediation of alexithymia and peritraumatic distress, whereas the influence of the attachment to fathers on IA was fully mediated by peritraumatic distress. The direct effects of the attachment to peers on alexithymia, peritraumatic distress, and IA were all significant, as were the indirect paths via the simple mediation of both alexithymia and peritraumatic distress and the multiple serial mediation of alexithymia and peritraumatic distress. Our findings suggested that the relationship between attachment, alexithymia, and psychopathological risk is dynamic in predicting IA during the pandemic among young adult university students and that the different attachment figures exert a peculiar contribution to these processes.

Investigating Internet Addiction and Sleep Quality Correlation Among Students of Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2021

Background: The quality of sleep plays an important role in physical development, as well as maintaining physical and mental health. Approximately 20% of Iranian students suffer from Internet addiction, and 56% suffer from insomnia. Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the relevance of Internet addiction and sleep quality among Isfahan University of medical sciences students. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted as a questionnaire at the Medical Sciences University of Isfahan. The collected data had three components: (1) Demographic information, (2) sleep quality with the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and (3) amount of internet use with a questionnaire of 20 Internet Addiction Tests (IAT). Logistic regression was used to find any association between Internet Addiction and Sleep quality. Results: A total of 562 female and male students participated in the study, with a mean age of 21.41 ± 1.87. Internet users with moderate and mild addiction had poorer sleep quality than those with normal and severe Internet addiction. Logistic regression analysis showed an association between Internet addiction scores and sleep quality (OR = 1.035: 1.02, 1.04, P < 0.001). In addition, poor sleep quality was also predicted by the subgroups "excessive internet use" and "anticipation". Conclusions: The relationship between internet addiction and sleep quality was significantly negative. Universities and all educational institutions can use it to control the effects of Internet abuse and the quality of sleep of students.

Psychometric property and measurement invariance of internet addiction test: the effect of socio-demographic and internet use variables

Background

According to the validation literature on items of Young’s Internet Addiction Test (IAT), this study rephrased disputable items to improve the psychometric properties of this Chinese version of IAT and identify the presence of differential item function (DIF) among demographic and Internet use factors; detect the effect of demographic and Internet use factors on IAT after adjusting for DIF.

Methods

An online questionnaire was distributed to college students in Zhe Jiang province in two stage. The 1st phase study collected 384 valid responses to examine the quality of IAT items by using Rasch Model analysis and exploring factor analysis (EFA). The online questionnaire was modified according to the 1st phase study and distributed online for the 2nd phase study which collected a total of 1131 valid responses. The 2nd phase study applied confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and a multiple indicator multiple causes (MIMIC) model to verify the construct of IAT, potential effect of covariates on IAT latent factors, as well as the effect of differential item functioning (DIF).

Results

Rasch model analysis in the 1st phase study indicated a 5-point rating scale was performed better, no sever misfit was found on item. The overall property of Chinese version IAT with the 5-point scale was good to excellent person and item separation (2.66 and 6.86). A three-factor model was identified by EFA. In the 2nd phase study, IAT 13 were detected with DIF for gender in MIMIC model. After correcting DIF effect, the significant demographic and Internet use factors on IAT were time spent online per day, year 3, year 2, general users.

Conclusion

Item improvement was efficient that the problematic items found in literature was performed good in this study. The overall psychometric property of this Chinese version IAT was good with limited DIF effect in one item. Item improvement on IAT13 was encouraged in the future study to avoid gender bias and benefit for epidemiology on PIU.

Psychometric evaluation of the internet addiction test in India

The Internet Addiction Test is a widely used assessment of symptoms of internet addiction. Although originally proposed as assessing different components of internet addiction, research has been mixed in terms of its factor structure. This study is the first to examine the psychometric properties of the IAT in an Indian population. A large sample (N = 2700) of Indians living in the Southern city of India were recruited door-to-door and completed the IAT and other validity measures. In Study 1, an exploratory factor analysis (n = 1375) indicated a one-factor structure, with 13 items measuring symptoms of internet addiction. This short-form IAT showed construct and convergent validity by correlating with higher daily internet use, higher scores on measures of problematic internet gaming, social media use, and smartphone use, and functional impact. In Study 2, confirmatory factor analysis (n = 1375) indicted this one-factor structure was a good fit to the data, and the correlations with validity measures were replicated. This short-form IAT appears to be valid as a measure of one underlying factor of problematic internet use in young Indian adults.

Subjective well-being and vulnerability related to problematic Internet use among university students with and without disabilities: A comparative study

This study aims to observe whether people with disabilities experience problematic Internet use (PIU) like that of young people without disabilities; to relate PIU to psychological distress in young disabled people and to determine whether these problems are similar to or different from those experienced by young people without disabilities. The sample comprised 408 university students with disabilities and 1386 university students without disabilities from several Spanish universities. PIU was evaluated using the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and psychological distress was evaluated using the Clinical Outcomes in Routine Evaluation-Outcome Measure (CORE-OM). The group of university students with disabilities showed less PIU than the nondisabled students, but the worst scores in variables referencing psychological discomfort were found among those students with disabilities who also had PIU. Although the results are not completely generalizable, PIU is related to bigger problems in disabled people for whom it represents a higher risk than for people without disabilities.

Screen use and internet addiction among parents of young children: A nationwide Canadian cross-sectional survey

Objectives

To establish the factorial structure and internal consistency of the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) in parents, the level and correlates of problematic internet use, and patterns and types of screen use.

Study design

Data were collected through an online questionnaire about preconception health among Canadian women and men with ≥1 child. The questionnaire included the IAT and questions about time spent on screens by device type, use of screens during meals and in the bedroom, and perceptions of overuse. Factor analysis was completed to determine the factorial structure of the IAT, with multivariable linear regression used to determine correlates of the IAT.

Results

The sample included 1,156 respondents (mean age: 34.3 years; 83.1% female). The IAT had two factors: “impairment in time management” and “impairment in socio-emotional functioning” of which respondents had more impairment in time management than socio-emotional functioning. Based on the original IAT, 19.4% of respondents would be classified as having a mild internet use problem with 3.0% having a moderate or severe issue. In the multivariable model, perceived stress (b = .28, SE = .05, p < .001) and depressive symptoms (b = .24, SE = .10, p = .017) were associated with higher IAT scores. Handheld mobile devices were the most common type of screen used (mean = 3 hours/day) followed by watching television (mean = 2 hours/day).

Conclusion

Parents spent a significant portion of their time each day using screens, particularly handheld mobile devices. The disruption caused by mobile devices may hinder opportunities for positive parent-child interactions, demonstrating the need for resources to support parents ever-growing use of technologies.

Might insecurity and use of ICT enhance internet addiction and exhaust people? A study in two European countries during emergency remote working

Facing the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic, we have witnessed a strong recourse to generalised lockdowns and to the deployment of remote working. These emergency measures have also thrown employers and employees into uncertainty regarding the present and future existence of their job. The present study aimed to examine the role of job insecurity and job demands in non-working hours through technologies on emotional exhaustion mediated by Internet addiction. A total of 999 remote workers, 501 of whom live in France and 498 in Italy, completed a self-report questionnaire during the first lockdown. Results suggest that both job insecurity and the requests to use technology for work purposes during non-work time exacerbate emotional exhaustion through the mediation of Internet Addiction. Limitations, future perspectives, and implications for management are discussed.

The feasibility and acceptability of mobile application-based assessment of suicidality using self-report components of a novel tool, the Suicide Ideation and Behavior Assessment Tool (SIBAT)

The aim of this study was to assess the validity of a mobile application-based self-report questionnaire in the assessment of suicidality. We developed a program for the administration of self-report components of the Suicide Ideation and Behavior Assessment Tool (SIBAT). We invited university students and trainees enrolled in a study of addictions to complete this component of the SIBAT using the program on their mobile devices or personal computer. 196 participants completed all required modules of the SIBAT, with 97 using their mobile device and 99 using their personal computer. Rates of completed questionnaires between the two groups were compared, as were the responses to the items and the total scores. There was a significant difference between proportions of scale completion in both groups, with a greater number of participants who used a personal computer to complete the scale not responding to all questions compared to participants who used a mobile device to complete the scale. Data collected via mobile device showed good concurrent validity with data collected via personal computer. A trend toward greater disclosure of suicidality was observed in the mobile device group however, replication of these findings using larger sample sizes is needed.

The Six-Item Version of the Internet Addiction Test: Its Development, Psychometric Properties, and Measurement Invariance among Women with Eating Disorders and Healthy School and University Students

Internet addiction (IA) is widespread, comorbid with other conditions, and commonly undetected, which may impede recovery. The Internet Addiction Test (IAT) is widely used to evaluate IA among healthy respondents, with less agreement on its dimensional structure. This study investigated the factor structure, invariance, predictive validity, criterion validity, and reliability of the IAT among Spanish women with eating disorders (EDs, N = 123), Chinese school children (N = 1072), and Malay/Chinese university students (N = 1119). In school children, four factors with eigen values > 1 explained 50.2% of the variance, with several items cross-loading on more than two factors and three items failing to load on any factor. Among 19 tested models, CFA revealed excellent fit of a unidimensional six-item IAT among ED women and university students (χ2(7) = 8.695, 35.038; p = 0.275, 0.001; CFI = 0.998, 981; TLI = 0.996, 0.960; RMSEA = 0.045, 0.060; SRMR = 0.0096, 0.0241). It was perfectly invariant across genders, academic grades, majors, internet use activities, nationalities (Malay vs. Chinese), and Malay/Chinese female university students vs. Spanish women with anorexia nervosa, albeit it was variant at the scalar level in tests involving other EDs, signifying increased tendency for IA in pathological overeating. The six-item IAT correlated with the effects of internet use on academic performance at a greater level than the original IAT (r = -0.106, p < 0.01 vs. r = -0.78, p < 0.05), indicating superior criterion validity. The six-item IAT is a robust and brief measure of IA in healthy and diseased individuals from different cultures.

The Internet addiction test: Psychometric properties, socio-demographic risk factors and addictive co-morbidities in a large adult sample

The Internet Addiction Test (IAT) (Young, 1998) is one of the most utilized diagnostic instruments to evaluate internet addiction. Despite the wide use of IAT in research and clinical settings, there is lack of an empirical validation of this scale among a largescale adult population. The present study aimed to: (1) investigate the psychometric properties of a Hebrew version of the IAT among large-scale Israeli adult sample. (2) Assess the socio-demographic characteristics of individuals who suffer from IA. (3) Assess the co-morbidity of IA in relation to substance and behavioral addictions. A cross sectional study was conducted, by constructing a representative sample (N = 4035) of the Jewish adult (18-70 y/o, M = 40.5, SD = 14.5) population in Israel. Participants responded an online survey, that measured IAT, socio-demographic characteristics, substance and behavioral addictions. Results showed that two-factor model (Emotional and Cognitive Preoccupation with the Internet and Loss of Control and Interference with Daily Life) has good psychometric properties and fits the data well. Young age, not being married (Risk Ratio [RR] = 1.98, 95% CI [1.51-2.63]), and having a low socio-economic status (RR = 1.41, 95% CI [1.05-1.90]) were found to be associated with IA. Drug (RR = 4.50, 95% CI [2.89-7.01]) and alcohol (RR = 3.54, 95% CI [1.50-5.42]) use disorders were associated with IA. High co-morbidity between behavioral addictions and IA was also found (RR = 15.24, 95% CI [11.17-20.78]). Overall, results show that the Hebrew version of the IAT is a valid and reliable instrument, and provide a comprehensive picture of IA prevalence and profile in adult Israeli sample.

How Does Psychological Distress Due to the COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Internet Addiction and Instagram Addiction in Emerging Adults?

International research has underlined a worrying increase in Internet and Instagram addiction among emerging adults during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although the role played by alexithymia and psychological distress due to COVID-19 has been evidenced, no study has explored their complex relationship in predicting emerging adults' Internet and Instagram addiction. The present study aimed to verify whether peritraumatic distress due to the COVID-19 pandemic mediated the relationship between emerging adults' alexithymia and their Internet/Instagram addiction, in a sample composed of n = 400 Italian emerging adults. Results showed that females had higher peritraumatic distress due to COVID-19 than males, whereas males had higher externally oriented thinking and higher levels of Internet addiction than females. Emerging adults' psychological distress due to COVID-19 significantly mediated the effect of alexithymia on Internet and Instagram addiction. Our findings supported the presence of a dynamic relationship between individual vulnerabilities and the co-occurrence of other psychological difficulties in predicting emerging adults' Internet and Instagram addiction during the pandemic, with important clinical implications.

Internet Addiction Status and Related Factors among Medical Students: A Cross-Sectional Study in Western Iran

BACKGROUND

In recent years, Internet and social media technology use have emerged as an integral tool of human society, and the evolution of technological integration, cyberspace, and web-technology has become a common practice in educational institutions. Internet usage among students has played an indispensable role in learning behavior; however, the excessive usage of the internet and social media leads to internet addiction. This original study has performed a focalized scrutiny on revealing relationships between internet addiction and associated factors among the students of medicine, dentistry, and pharmaceutical departments.

METHODS

This descriptive and analytical study recruited medical students from the Self-governing Education Incubator of Kermanshah. This survey distributed questionnaires among the respondents' three departments, and this statistical data reported on 420 valid responses of the respondents. They represent first and second-semester medical students of the academic year 2017-2018. The study selected medical students by applying Cochran's Sample Size Formula through Stratified Random Sampling and cross-sectional research design. The survey has utilized a demographic questionnaire of Young's Internet Addiction Test (IAT) for the data collection. The study analyzed received data by using SPSS version 23 and performed the descriptive statistics, and analytical statistics (t-test and ANOVA).

RESULTS

The results of the present study established that the majority of subjects were female students (53.3%), and the average age was 23.84 ± 2.14, including the students of all departments. Besides, findings specified that the overall mean and standard deviation scores were 3.34 and ±0.88. Internet addiction revealed mean and the standard deviation score measured for all students 3.29 ± 0.73, 3.17 ± 0.92, and 3.57 ± 0.64 correspondingly. The survey results illustrated that medical students' internet addiction substantially correlated with demographic variables, such as age, marital status, the field of study, academic term, significant time of consuming the internet, the key reason of utilizing the internet, and daily usage of the internet (p < .05).

CONCLUSION

The results of the study specified that 25% of medical students showed internet addiction. The students are increasingly using the internet, and it has penetrated among students. The design and implementation of adequate educational programs and the application of internet-based efficiency interventions are essential for both knowledge acquisition and medical students' healthy behavior.

[Psychometric properties of the Internet Addiction Test in students in Montes Claros, Minas Gerais State, Brazil]

The study aimed to assess the psychometric properties of the Brazilian Portuguese version of the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) in students. The methodological study population consisted of secondary and university students from Montes Claros, Minas Gerais State, Brazil. The following parameters were assessed: psychometric sensitivity, construct validity (factor, convergent, discriminant, and test of hypothesis), criterion validity (concurrent), and reliability (internal consistency and reproducibility). A total of 2,519 students participated, 29.6% of whom were secondary school enrollees. A three-factor measurement model was adjusted ("emotional and cognitive preoccupation with the Internet", "problems in managing time", and "performance problems"), which obtained satisfactory adequacy indices and stable structure in the independent subsamples. Convergent validity was close to the recommended level (mean extracted variation = 0.32, 0.41, and 0.45 and compound reliability values = 0.84, 0.81, and 0.71), and discriminant and concurrent validities were adequate. Internal consistency was adequate (alpha = 0.906), as was reproducibility (kappa = 0.73 and intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.90). The Portuguese-language version of the IAT presented satisfactory levels of validity, reliability, and stability in independent samples of students.

Measurement of the problematic usage of the Internet unidimensional quasitrait continuum with item response theory

Problematic usage of the internet (PUI) describes maladaptive use of online resources and is recognized as a growing worldwide issue. Here, we refined the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) for use as a screening tool to measure generalized internet use problems in normative samples. Analysis of response data with parametric unidimensional item response theory identified 10 items of the IAT that measured most of the PUI latent trait continuum with high precision in a subsample of 816 participants with meaningful variance in internet use problems. Selected items may characterize minor, or early stages of, PUI by measuring a preoccupation with the Internet, motivations to use online activities to escape aversive emotional experiences and regulate mood, as well as secrecy, defensiveness, and interpersonal conflict associated with internet use. Summed scores on these 10 items demonstrated a strong correlation with full-length IAT scores and comparable, or better, convergence with measures of impulsivity and compulsivity. Proposed cut-off scores differentiated between individuals potentially at risk of developing PUI from those with few self-reported internet use problems with good sensitivity and specificity. Differential item function testing revealed measurement equivalence between the sexes, Caucasians and non-Caucasians. However, evidence for differential test functioning between independent samples drawn from South Africa and the United States of America suggests that raw scores cannot be meaningfully compared between different geographic regions. These findings have implications for conceptualization and measurement of PUI in normative samples.

We provide recommendations for measuring symptoms of problematic usage of the internet, which can be identified in a subset of the population using our refined version of the IAT and suggested cut-off scores. Relevant self-reported internet use problems include a preference for online over face-to-face social interactions, use of the internet to regulate emotions, excessive online engagement, interpersonal conflict, and emotional withdrawal following cessation of internet use.

Exploratory Factor Analysis of Young's Internet Addiction Test Among Professionals from India: An Online Survey

BACKGROUND

Internet use has spread across the world due to easy accessibility and affordability. However, it has been creating many problems at several levels. So, there is a need to identify the suitability of psychometric properties and the factor structure of the widely used Internet Addiction Test (IAT) in the Indian settings. Our objective was to perform an exploratory factor analysis on the IAT and to test the reliability of the scale.

METHODS

It was a cross-sectional study that included various professional groups. We used an online questionnaire that included sociodemographic details and Young's IAT. Exploratory factor analysis was used to identify the factor structure of Young's IAT in the Indian setup.

RESULTS

The mean age of the sample (N = 1,782) was 27.7 years (SD = 8.74) with a predominantly male population 1040 (58.4%). In total, 1.0% (17) of the sample had significant problems with internet usage, whereas 13% (232) were in the range of frequent/occasional problems, and the mean score on IAT was 32 (SD = 16.42). Exploratory factor analysis revealed two factors that explained 49% of the variance (Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin measure of sampling adequacy: 0.95, Bartlett's test of sphericity: P = 0.000). They were "mood and relationship issues" and "duration and productivity." Cronbach's α was 0.92, which indicates a high level of internal consistency.

CONCLUSION

In Indian settings, IAT can be understood based on the two-factor structure. The scale has excellent reliability. Further studies are needed to replicate these results, by using confirmatory factor analysis and validity testing.

Associations Among Internet Addiction, Genetic Polymorphisms, Family Functioning, and Psychopathological Risk: Cross-Sectional Exploratory Study

BACKGROUND

International research has emphasized that youths are at higher risk for the onset of internet addiction (IA), but studies investigating biological, psychological, and social factors associated with this condition are limited.

OBJECTIVE

This study aims to investigate the possible association between IA and genetic polymorphisms in monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A), serotonin-transporter (5-HTTPR), dopamine receptor (DRD4), and dopamine transporter (DAT1) genes by considering the role played by the perception of young adults in their family functioning and their depression, anxiety, and avoidant personality problems.

METHODS

In a sample of 104 male and female young adults aged between 19 and 23 years (mean age 21.87, SD 2.29 years) recruited from universities in the central southern part of Italy, we addressed the presence of IA using the Young criteria of the IA test. Moreover, the perception of young adults of their family functioning and their psychopathological symptoms were assessed through the Family Assessment Device (FAD) and the Adult Self-Report, respectively.

RESULTS

We found no significant association between IA and any genetic polymorphisms, neither among males or females. Young adults with IA reported significantly higher scores in the subscale of FAD affective responsiveness (AR; P=.01) and in depressive problems (P=.02), anxiety problems (P=.009), and avoidant personality problems (P=.003) than those in the control group. Results of mediation analyses showed a mediation role played by depressive symptoms (B=0.99; 95% CI 0.22 to 1.97) and avoidant personality problems (B=1.09; 95% CI 0.32 to 2.05) of young adults on the relationship between the FAD, AR, and IA. Finally, this relationship was moderated by the genotype of the 5-HTTLPR (P<.001), DAT1 (P<.001), and MAO-A (P<.001) genes in young adults.

CONCLUSIONS

This exploratory study supports the recent evidence on the mutual relationship among biological, individual, and social risk factors associated with IA in young adulthood. Our findings may have important clinical implications for the development of prevention and treatment programs.

Self-Reported and Parental Assessments of Internet Gaming Disorder, and Their Accordance with DSM-5 Criteria in a Clinical Relevant Population

Internet gaming disorder (IGD) is of growing importance as a research field and in clinical settings, as documented by the inclusion of the diagnosis in Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5) and the preliminary International Classification of Diseases. Studies using screening tools to assess IGD and comparison with expert evaluations in clinical relevant populations are rare. Furthermore, concerned parents are often the first source of information in clinical practice, and their assessment of addictive behavior often differs widely from their child's self-evaluation. In two studies (N = 95) we investigated the usefulness of the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and the Compulsive Internet Use Scale (CIUS) with adolescents at risk of IGD, either in parental company (Study 1) or alone (Study 2). Self-reported assessments on the scales were compared with parental ratings (only Study 1) and an expert face-to-face evaluation according to DSM-5 (both studies). We found higher correlations between expert evaluations of IGD criteria and screening scores for self-reported compared with parental ratings. Quality of categorization into persons with and without IGD confirmed that parental assessments were not conclusive in this setting. In this context, different cutoff values, sensitivity, and specificity for the screening instruments are discussed. We conclude that IAT and CIUS provide tentative usefulness for self-evaluation of adolescents at risk of IGD, and suggestions for using different cutoff scores for varying purposes are provided. In our study, parental assessments on the screening tools lead to an overestimation of IGD and are, therefore, not recommended as a sole source of information in clinical settings.

Investigation of Correlated Internet and Smartphone Addiction in Adolescents: Copula Regression Analysis

Internet and smartphone addiction have become important social issues. Various studies have demonstrated their association with clinical and psychological factors, including depression, anxiety, aggression, anger expression, and behavioral inhibition, and behavioral activation systems. However, these two addictions are also highly correlated with each other, so the consideration of the relationship between internet and smartphone addiction can enhance the analysis. In this study, we considered the copula regression model to regress the bivariate addictions on clinical and psychological factors. Real data analysis with 555 students (age range: 14-15 years; males, N = 295; females, N = 265) from South Korean public middle schools is illustrated. By fitting the copula regression model, we investigated the dependency between internet and smartphone addiction and determined the risk factors associated with the two addictions. Furthermore, by comparing the model fits of the copula model with linear regression and generalized linear models, the best copula model was proposed in terms of goodness of fit. Our findings revealed that internet and smartphone addiction are not separate problems, and that associations between them should be considered. Psychological factors, such as anxiety, the behavioral inhibition system, and aggression were also significantly associated with both addictions, while ADHD symptoms were related to internet addiction only. We emphasize the need to establish policies on the prevention, management, and education of addiction.

Assessing the Psychometric Properties of the Internet Addiction Test in Peruvian University Students

The use of the Internet has been gradually and unstoppably gaining ground in all areas of life, from recreational activities to how social relations are established. However, the existence of clinical cases indicates that the addictive use of the Internet is a problem that seriously affects some people. Among the instruments that measure this construct, the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) stands out. However, instrumental studies of this test are scarce in Latin America. The present study sought to analyze the psychometric properties of the IAT in a sample of 227 Peruvian undergraduate university students. Confirmatory factor analysis was used to provide validity evidence based on the internal structure, and evidence based on the relationship with other variables was also provided. Reliability was estimated through the ordinal alpha coefficient. The results indicated that the IAT adequately fits a bifactor model (with two specific factors, time/control and stress/compensate), obtaining good levels of reliability. Additionally, the IAT scores correlate significantly with the average number of hours per day on the internet and social skills. The results lead to the conclusion that the scores in the IAT have evidence of validity and reliability for its use.

Modelling Online Gaming Metacognitions: The Role of Time Spent Gaming in Predicting Problematic Internet Use

In recent years there have been growing concerns about problematic Internet use (PIU) as potential mental health problem. Among the many activities available on the Internet, the time spent gaming appears one of the most frequent risk factors in developing PIU. The aim of the current study was to model the relationship between negative affect, metacognitions about online gaming, frequency of online gaming and PIU. A total of 326 Italian gamers (mean age = 27 years, SD = 5.65 years; 93.3% males) participated in the study. The pattern of relationships specified by the theoretical model was examined through path analysis. Results showed that negative affect was directly associated with all other variables. Specifically, positive, strong and direct associations were found between negative affect and both positive and negative metacognitions about online gaming. Moreover, negative metacognitions about online gaming were strongly linked to PIU. Overall, the theoretical model was supported showing that metacognitions about online gaming may play a role in the association between time spent on online gaming to a broader pattern of PIU. Results are discussed within the context of the metacognitive model of psychopathology and clinical implications based on this model are outlined.

Suicidal ideation among Lebanese adolescents: scale validation, prevalence and correlates

BACKGROUND

In addition to the unstable political situation, Lebanon had experienced a cycle of wars, local armed conflicts, terrorist attacks, and crises (lack of clean water, recurrent power failure, and waste mismanagement, in addition to the growing number of unemployed people, as the number of Syrian refugees has dramatically increased, and led to competition for jobs with locals. All these factors make the Lebanese population prone to mental disorders, particularly suicide, without clear management policies. This study aims to validate the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale (CSSRS), and determine the prevalence of suicidal ideation and associated factors among a Lebanese nationally representative sample of adolescents from 9th to 12th grades.

METHODS

Participants were 1810 adolescents who enrolled in this cross-sectional study (January-May 2019), using a proportionate random sample of schools from all Lebanese Mohafazat. The Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale was used to screen for suicidal ideation.

RESULTS

The results showed that 28.9% had some type of suicidal ideation [95% CI 26.7-31.1%]. The CSSRS items converged on a one-factor solution, accounting for a total of 85.40% of the variance (α_Cronbach = 0.966). Higher psychological abuse (Beta = 0.041), child physical abuse (Beta = 0.030), alcohol dependence (Beta = 0.062), social fear (Beta = 0.028), victimization/bullying score (Beta = 0.028), impulsivity (Beta = 0.028) and internet addiction (Beta = 0.010) scores were significantly associated with higher suicidal ideation. Same applies to adolescents whose parents are separated compared to living together (Beta = 0.992) and in females compared to males (0.311). On another hand, a higher age (Beta = - 0.182) was significantly associated with lower suicidal ideation.

CONCLUSION

This study provides insights about suicidal ideation among Lebanese adolescents and related risk factors, such as child psychological and physical abuse, alcohol use disorders, social fear, bullying and victimization, impulsivity, and internet addiction.

Mediating Effect of Internet Addiction on the Relationship Between Individualism and Cyberbullying: Cross-Sectional Questionnaire Study

BACKGROUND

Among a variety of dynamics that may have effects on internet-related behaviors, cultural orientation is particularly important. Previous studies suggest that individualism is a strong determinant of certain behaviors. In addition, findings suggest that vertical individualism may lead to the development of more tolerance for addiction and aggression on the internet.

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to investigate whether vertical individualism has significant positive effects on cyberbullying and internet addiction and whether horizontal individualism has significant negative effects on cyberbullying and internet addiction. A theoretical model was specified to test the relationships among vertical versus horizontal individualism, cyberbullying, and internet addiction.

METHODS

A total of 665 college students were selected using a convenience sampling method and willingly participated in the study. Participants' ages ranged from 17 to 19 years (mean 17.94 years, SD 1.12 years). Of the group, 462 were women (462/665, 69.5%), and 203 were men (203/665, 30.5%). Study majors represented were mathematics (113/665, 17%), sciences (102/665, 15.3%), instructional technology (99/665, 14.9%), psychology (98/665, 14.7%), and others (253/665, 38.1%). Self-report instruments were used to measure vertical/horizontal individualism, cyberbullying, and internet addiction.

RESULTS

Results show a significant positive effect of vertical individualism (effect size 0.10) and significant negative effect of horizontal individualism (effect size -0.12) on cyberbullying. In addition, the direct effect of vertical individualism on internet addiction was significant (effect size 0.28), but the direct effect of horizontal individualism was not (effect size -0.05). Internet addiction had a significant direct effect on cyberbullying (effect size 0.39) as well as an intervening effect on the relationship between vertical individualism and cyberbullying. Results also indicate significant gender differences in cultural patterns and internet addiction.

CONCLUSIONS

The findings suggest that horizontal and vertical individualism have significant effects on internet addiction. The findings also suggest that vertical individualists are more vulnerable to internet addiction. Further, the findings indicate a significant relationship between internet addiction and cyberbullying.

Children's Health in the Digital Age

Environmental studies, metabolic research, and state of the art research in neurobiology point towards the reduced amount of natural day and sunlight exposure of the developing child, as a consequence of increasingly long hours spent indoors online, as the single unifying source of a whole set of health risks identified worldwide, as is made clear in this review of currently available literature. Over exposure to digital environments, from abuse to addiction, now concerns even the youngest (ages 0 to 2) and triggers, as argued on the basis of clear examples herein, a chain of interdependent negative and potentially long-term metabolic changes. This leads to a deregulation of the serotonin and dopamine neurotransmitter pathways in the developing brain, currently associated with online activity abuse and/or internet addiction, and akin to that found in severe substance abuse syndromes. A general functional working model is proposed under the light of evidence brought to the forefront in this review.

Exploring Associations between Internet Addiction, Depressive Symptoms, and Sleep Disturbance among Saudi Nursing Students

Background:

Excessive internet usage is a worldwide problematic issue among young adults and college students. Previous studies showed that Saudi young adults are involved in this problem.

Objectives:

To determine the prevalence of Internet Addiction (IA), and to find out its relation with depressive symptoms, sleep quality, and demographic variables.

Methods:

This study used a cross-sectional design. Data were collected from 341 nursing students in Saudi Arabia using three scales: Young’s Internet Addiction Test, Central Epidemiologic Scale for Depression and Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.

Results:

The results showed that 35.1% of students were suffering from frequent problems and 0.9% were suffering from significant problems due to heavy internet usage. The correlation results found a positive moderate correlation between IA and depression (r = 0.401, p < 0.001) and a positive weak correlation with sleep quality (r = 0. 196, p = 0.002). Sleeping and depression were weakly correlated (r = 0.274, p < 0.001). Regression analysis revealed that IA was associated with: smoking status, high family income, duration of usage (3-6 hours and >6 hours), and depressive symptoms. The depressive level was associated with duration of usage (>6 hours), students’ grading point average (GPA), IA, and sleep quality. Sleep quality was found to be associated with duration of usage (>6 hours) and having depressive symptoms.

Conclusion:

The findings illustrate the need for proper management of internet usage, as well as developing plans to avoid the negative consequences of internet addiction on psychological wellbeing by incorporating nursing education programs about appropriate internet usage.

A Web-Based Intervention for Social Media Addiction Disorder Management in Higher Education: Quantitative Survey Study

Background

Social media addiction disorder has recently become a major concern and has been reported to have negative impacts on postgraduate studies, particularly addiction to Facebook. Although previous studies have investigated the effects of Facebook addiction disorder in learning settings, there still has been a lack of studies investigating the relationship between online intervention features for Facebook addiction focusing on postgraduate studies.

Objective

In an attempt to understand this relationship, this study aimed to carry out an investigation on online intervention features for effective management of Facebook addiction in higher education.

Methods

This study was conducted quantitatively using surveys and partial least square-structural equational modeling. The study involved 200 postgraduates in a Facebook support group for postgraduates. The Bergen Facebook Addiction test was used to assess postgraduates’ Facebook addiction level, whereas online intervention features were used to assess postgraduates’ perceptions of online intervention features for Facebook addiction, which are as follows: (1) self-monitoring features, (2) manual control features, (3) notification features, (4) automatic control features, and (5) reward features.

Results

The study discovered six Facebook addiction factors (relapse, conflict, salience, tolerance, withdrawal, and mood modification) and five intervention features (notification, auto-control, reward, manual control, and self-monitoring) that could be used in the management of Facebook addiction in postgraduate education. The study also revealed that relapse is the most important factor and mood modification is the least important factor. Furthermore, findings indicated that notification was the most important intervention feature, whereas self-monitoring was the least important feature.

Conclusions

The study’s findings (addiction factors and intervention features) could assist future developers and educators in the development of online intervention tools for Facebook addiction management in postgraduate education.

Assessing the Psychometric Properties of the Internet Abusive Use Questionnaire in Italian University Students

Abstract. The risks emanating from the abusive use of the Internet are on the rise, especially among young adults causing psychological problems in their social and personal lifestyles. To date, there are only two validated measures in the Italian language to measure the risk of Internet addiction. This study served to validate an Italian version of the Internet Abusive Use Questionnaire (IAUQ-I) via a translation-back-translation process. A sample of 289 Italian university students participated in the study (73.70% females). The results of the exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis established the unidimensional factorial structure of the scale. Validity and reliability analyses indicated adequate results concerning the psychometric properties of the Italian IAUQ-I. We also found an association between IAUQ-I and self-esteem, and personality traits. This study shows that the IAUQ-I represents a valid instrument for measuring the abusive use of the Internet and could be used not only for further epidemiological studies, but also to inform practitioners working with persons addicted to technology.

Associations of personality traits with internet addiction in Chinese medical students: the mediating role of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder symptoms

BACKGROUND

Internet addiction (IA) has emerged as a public health concern, particularly among adolescents and young adults. However, few studies have been conducted in medical students. This multi-center study aimed to investigate the prevalence of IA in Chinese medical students, to examine the associations of big five personality traits with IA in the population, and to explore the possible mediating role of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) symptoms in the relationship.

METHODS

Self-reported questionnaires, including Internet Addiction Test (IAT), Big Five Inventory (BFI), Adult ADHD Self-Report Scale-V1.1 (ASRS-V1.1) Screener, and socio-demographic section were distributed to clinical students at 3 medical schools in China. A total of 1264 students became the final subjects.

RESULTS

The overall prevalence of IA among Chinese medical students was 44.7% (IAT > 30), and 9.2% of the students demonstrated moderate or severe IA (IAT ≥ 50). After adjustment for covariates, while conscientiousness and agreeableness were negatively associated with IA, neuroticism was positively associated with it. ADHD symptoms mediated the associations of conscientiousness, agreeableness and neuroticism with IA.

CONCLUSION

The prevalence of IA among Chinese medical students is high. Both personality traits and ADHD symptoms should be considered when tailored intervention strategies are designed to prevent and reduce IA in medical students.

Cultural Correlates of Internet Addiction

Increasing problems connected with excessive Internet use can be observed all over the world. Internet addiction is defined as excessive involvement in the Internet with negative consequences. The main aim of the study was to investigate economic indicators as correlates of Internet addiction. The study was conducted in nine countries. The number of participants amounted to a total of 3,279 Internet users (54% were female), with a mean age of M = 25.14 (SD = 10.03). The authors used Young's Internet Addiction Test. In addition, some social and economic indicators characterizing the countries were taken into consideration. We found that Internet addiction was positively related to economic well-being, social progress, and human development as well as negatively related to human well-being, health, safety, and security. The results of the study contribute to the international debate on Internet addiction.

Problematic video game use as an emotional coping strategy: Evidence from a sample of MMORPG gamers

BACKGROUND

A positive relationship between problematic gaming and escapism motivation to play video games has been well established, suggesting that problematic gaming may result from attempts to deal with negative emotions. However, to date, no study has examined how emotion dysregulation affects both escapism motives and problematic gaming patterns.

METHODS

Difficulties in emotion regulation, escapism, and problematic involvement with video games were assessed in a sample of 390 World of Warcraft players. A structural equation modeling framework was used to test the hypothesis that escapism mediates the relationship between emotion dysregulation and problematic gaming.

RESULTS

Statistical analyses showed that difficulties in emotion regulation predicted both escapism motives and problematic gaming, and that escapism partially mediated this relationship.

CONCLUSION

Our findings support the view that problematic players are likely to escape in online games as a maladaptive coping strategy for dealing with adverse emotional experiences.

Structure of Arabic Scale of Death Anxiety With Chinese College Students: A Bifactor Approach

The Arabic Scale of Death Anxiety (ASDA), as one of the most widely used measures of death anxiety (DA), has increasingly been applied in many studies. However, the structures derived from different studies are highly inconsistent. In this study, both traditional and novel (bifactor) modeling approaches were used, to investigate the most optimal structure of the ASDA in a sample of 984 Chinese college students. After a series of comparisons, the results showed that the bifactor model, with a dominant general DA factor and three distinct sub-dimensions, was the most optimal measurement structure, and measurement invariance of this bifactor model between sexes was also confirmed. Based on the implications of this bifactor model, the discussion was focused mainly on whether distinct dimensions should be interpreted or not. Some strengths and limitations of the study were also discussed at the end of the paper.

Psychometric Properties of the Internet Addiction Test: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

This article performs a systemic review of psychometric properties of Internet Addiction Test (IAT)-the most widely used tool for assessing Internet addiction in clinic and research field. Studies measuring psychometric properties of IAT (original version) were searched through MEDLINE, The Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PsycINFO, and Embase. A total of 25 studies including 18,421 subjects were reviewed in our study. Based on meta-analysis for internal consistency, the pooled Cronbach's alpha coefficient from college/university students with a single department subgroup was 0.90 (95percent confidence interval [CI], 0.89-0.91), and that from middle-/high-school students (older than 15 years) subgroup was 0.93 (95 percent CI, 0.92-0.93). According to test-retest analysis, the pooled Spearman's correlation coefficient from college/university students with a single department subgroup was high at 0.83 (95 percent CI, 0.81-0.85), along with low publication bias. Convergent validity showed correlation coefficients of 0.62-0.84, as compared with major tools. For construct validity, the number of factors is believed to be 1-2, only considering studies that followed the guidelines. IAT appears to have acceptable internal consistency, test-retest reliability, and convergent validity in specific groups. To verify these values, well-designed evidence-based studies assessing psychometric properties of IAT across diverse populations are warranted.

A New Measure for Assessing Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders: The Addictive Behavior Questionnaire (ABQ)

This article evaluates the psychometric properties of a new measure for assessing Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders: the Addictive Behavior Questionnaire (ABQ). The ABQ is a self-report measure composed of two sections: the Severity Index (SI) and the Seven Domains Addiction Scale (7DAS). Materials and methods. A total sample of 698 subjects divided into two groups (515 subjects in the clinical sample and 183 subjects in the control sample), participated in this study. We applied Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) to examine features of ABQ construct validity, we used Cronbach’s alpha coefficient to assess its internal reliability, and explored some aspects of its concurrent validity by examining its associations with other measures assessing addictive behaviors and psychopathology. Results and conclusions: results of EFA indicated that all the scales of the ABQ are unidimensional and showed good internal consistency. The correlations between the sections of the ABQ and the other measures used in the current study were significant and in the expected directions. These results suggest that the ABQ has good psychometric properties and allows researchers and clinicians to gather relevant information regarding behaviors, psychopathology and severity of symptoms, for the best clinical reasoning and for planning tailored treatment for each patient.

The concurrent validity of the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and the Mobile Phone Dependence Questionnaire (MPDQ)

Internet addiction and mobile phone addiction are both forms of technology addiction, and thus would be expected to show similarities and differences. This study investigated the association between the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) and the Mobile Phone Dependence Questionnaire (MPDQ) as a test of concurrent validity. Participants were 1,072 students aged between 9 and 18 years old (63% male and 37% female) from three primary schools and three secondary schools in Hong Kong. Correlations showed that scores on the two measures were moderately correlated, providing further evidence of each measure's validity. Confirmatory factor analysis that the IAT's factor structure was similar in both younger and older samples, suggesting that it is developmentally appropriate for primary and secondary school students. Latent Class Analysis showed that 4 classes or 5 classes are appropriate for IAT's score classification. ROC analyses showed similar rates of participants with high scores on the IAT and on the MPDQ. The outcomes have implications for the prevention and treatment of Internet and mobile phone addiction. Future research can establish norms for different ages, genders and cultural groups.

Validation of the Internet Addiction Test in Students at a Pakistani Medical and Dental School

Despite growing concerns over pathological internet usage, studies based on validated psychometric instruments are still lacking in Pakistan. This study aimed to examine the psychometric properties of the Internet Addiction Test (IAT) in a sample of Pakistani students. A total of 522 students of medicine and dentistry completed the questionnaire, which consisted of four sections: (a) demographics, (b) number of hours spent on the Internet per day, (c) English version of the IAT, and (d) the Defense Style Questionnaire-40. Maximum likelihood analysis and principal axis factoring were used to validate the factor structure of the IAT. Convergent and criterion validity were assessed by correlating IAT scores with number of hours spent online and defense styles. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis reflected the goodness of fit of a unidimensional structure of the IAT, with a high alpha coefficient. The IAT had good face and convergent validity and no floor and ceiling effects, and was judged easy to read by participants.